Councillor code of conduct completed
Document had been amended in September, but not released until now
By Graeme McNaughton/The Oshawa Express
A code of conduct governing how regional councillors should act in their duties as government representatives has finally been completed, despite amendments made to the final version being passed three months prior.
Speaking at the final regional council meeting of the year, Matt Gaskell, the region’s commissioner of corporate services, says that the revised code of conduct was completed and had been distributed to councillors.
However, the document is still not available for public view. Tania Laverty, a spokesperson for the Region of Durham, tells The Oshawa Express that the document will be posted on the region’s website “shortly,” and will come into effect Jan. 1.
The regional code of conduct was first introduced in September in response to the appointment of an integrity commissioner, with several amendments passed at that time to some of the wording on the document.
Gaskell also shone some light on how complaints to the region’s new integrity commissioner, Guy W. Giorno, will work once his contract with the region begins in the new year, noting councillors will be able to have direct contact with the Toronto lawyer while members of the public will have to go through the regional clerk’s office.
“We will provide contact information for Mr. Giorno so that members of council can contact him either by email or telephone,” he said.
“The code of conduct…has a copy of the official complaint form/affidavit that a member would fill out in the event they wish to file a complaint. They would come to the regional clerk’s office to do that, would fill out the complaint and it would be forwarded to Mr. Giorno.”
Under the contract with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP that was approved at the meeting of regional council, the commissioner’s office will have an annual retainer cost of $900, and $239 per hour to investigate complaints, as well as for special projects include teaching seminars, public meetings or other special assignments.
Laverty confirms that the hourly rate will be covered by the Region of Durham or an individual municipality should they wish to utilize the commissioner’s services at a local level, and will not be paid by an individual complainant.
“The hourly fee of $239 is incurred at the point that the integrity commissioner determines a complaint warrants a formal investigation. In the event that the complaint is made under the region’s code of conduct, then the hourly fee is the region’s responsibility,” she says.
“Local municipalities that are also using these services would incur the costs related to any formal investigations related to their council matters.”